Cusco City

A city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley (Sacred Valley) of the Andes mountain range. Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 . It is a major tourist destination and receives almost a million visitors a year. It has been designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by the Constitution of Peru.

We have been here for just over a week and have seen very little. We have been laid up in bed for most of it with an illness which can only be described as something in between a cold and flu, hence the lack of updates. A definite result of travelling for long hours on overcrowded buses and staying in 10 bed doorms. At this altitude it takes forever to get rid of any aliment, you’re out of breath just walking up the stairs.

We did have a four day hike to Machu Picchu booked but having postponed three times we ended up cancelling. We have not fully recovered and don’t really have the energy required for the gruelling hike so instead we are taking the train. To say we are gutted is an understatement but we’d rather make it to the top than not and see the great wonder, one we have both been looking forward to for months.

More to follow in the next day or so. Today we had off to Aguas Calientes where we stay for one night and visit MP early the following morning.